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Summerland, B.C., Canada – Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc. (OSF) introduced nonbrowning Arctic® apple fresh slices to a receptive foodservice industry at the Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) recent Foodservice Show in Monterey, California. “It was exciting for us to exhibit at the PMA Foodservice show for the first time and to give attendees the opportunity to experience the orchard freshness of Arctic® Golden fresh slices,” said J.F. Gamelin, Director of Sales for OSF. “Arctic® apples’ nonbrowning trait offers a key benefit to the food service industry – including less prep, less waste and better taste.” Developed through bioengineering, Arctic® apples fresh slicesRead More

This spring, the first commercial Arctic® apples were planted, bringing us one big step closer to making the first truly nonbrowning apple varieties available to eager consumers! We captured this momentous occassion on film so we could share the experience with everyone, either on our YouTube channel or directly below:Read More

With a wider variety of products to choose from than ever before, there are countless factors that motivate shoppers to choose one food over another. With one tiny genetic change, Arctic® apples gain a number of benefits over their conventional counterparts, but which are the most appealing to consumers? To find out, we asked participants in our mall intercept survey which facts made them more interested in buying Arctic® apples. Below, learn the top six reasons the noted percentage of consumers say they’re more likely to purchase nonbrowning Arctic® apples: A cut Arctic® apple can be refrigerated in a zip-lockRead More

You have heard us discuss boosting apple consumption as a key reason for developing Arctic® apples. This is primarily because of their suitability for freshcut products, and application in foodservice – no one finds brown apples visually appealing after all! In addition to the added convenience and eye-appeal of Arctic® apples, recent results of a comparative taste-test suggests the nonbrowning trait has a big impact on their “mouth-appeal” for consumers, too! As apples turn brown, an unpleasant eating experience is generated. When apple browning is initiated by the enzyme polyphenol oxidase (PPO), the reaction causes melanin to form – changingRead More

During our mall intercept research, we presented consumers with a plate of Arctic® apples and a plate of conventional apples, both of which had been sliced just before they were presented. Then, we asked the consumers several questions about each plate of apples, and here’s what they said! The plate of conventional apples was most often described (68% of respondents) as “browning/old/unappealing”. On the other hand, the majority (68%) said the plate of nonbrowning apples looked “fresh” or “appealing” with “better than the other plate” being the second most common descriptor. As you can see from the graph, zero respondentsRead More

Another Earth Day is upon us, which brings into sharper focus the global agricultural challenges we face and the potential solutions to address them. In recent years, one of the hottest topics has been how we can curb the sky-high amount of global food waste. The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that roughly one third of food produced globally is wasted each year (1.3 billion tonnes), with consumers in rich countries wasting nearly as much food as the entire net food production of sub-Saharan Africa! It’s a massive problem with no single solution, but the most wasted foods in affluentRead More

We’ve talked before about how apple consumption has been flat to declining in recent years, but did you know that overall apple bearing acreage of apples has been falling as well? Bearing acreage refers to the amount of land used to produce apples, and as you can see from the graph below, there has been a significant decline over the past decade. According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, between 2000 and 2010, bearing acreage decreased by nearly 100,000 acres to a total of ~346,000 acres – more than a 20% drop! This is particularly notable when consideringRead More

When consumers are asked what’s most important to them when shopping for produce, one of the most frequent responses you’ll hear is freshness. Our own consumer research showed this, as we asked 1,000 self-identified apple eaters for the most important traits they look for when shopping for apples. Neck-and-neck for the lead was freshness and overall look (which is also a sign of freshness). Not only is freshness quite possibly the most important motivator for consumers when it comes to selecting produce, but the demand for fresher fruits and veggies continues to climb even higher. A great example of retailersRead More

With 2012 coming to a close, many publications have been looking back at the year that was (as we did in last week’s post) and examining the major food trends of the past year. Something that struck us when reading about these trends is that they help demonstrate why it’s the perfect time for an innovative product like Arctic® apples! First was an article by “The Supermarket Guru” in which he identifies the #1 trend of 2012 to be reducing food waste, one of the chief benefits nonbrowning apples offer. Furthermore, #2 was the increase of snacking and mini-meals (whatRead More

We have recently explored the benefits Arctic® apples can offer to growers and packers – but what about retailers? Generating consumer excitement, reducing shrink and increasing eye-appeal are just a few of the things that will deliver value to the retailer. Consumers, now more than ever, are interested in nutrition and convenience – just what Arctic® apples provide! Shoppers will be attracted by this exciting new product because it offers them tangible benefits such as the ability to add apple slices to salads or kids’ lunches without the browning; giving them more of that fresh, tasty “first-bite” eating experience the whole wayRead More